WO2015090674A1

WO2015090674A1 - Container for storing and preparing food

Info

Publication number: WO2015090674A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/072246
Authority: WO
Inventors: Maurizio Festa
Original assignee: Maurizio Festa
Priority date: 2013-12-17
Filing date: 2014-10-16
Publication date: 2015-06-25
Also published as: EP2886483B1; US20160288981A1; EP2886483A1

Abstract

In the past, in order to increase the quality of food which is pre-produced so as to be ready for consumption and must only be heated, the individual components started being stored in separate sub-areas (5, 6) of a container (1) so that said components come into contact with each other only shortly before being consumed. For example, by folding one of the sub-areas and emptying the sub-area into the other sub-area, pasta and a sauce for example could be mixed together when using such solutions. The aim of the invention is to simplify the handling of such products in particular during the mixing process. This is achieved in that a container interior is separated by a partition (4) which then separates the components. By simply pulling out the partition, the components can be mixed together. Furthermore, such a partition (4) can be prepared for a gentle and efficient vapor heating process.

Description

The present invention relates to a container for storing and preparing food, which encloses an interior and a container shell and a container bottom, wherein the interior is divided by at least one partition in at least two liquid-tight isolated against each other subspaces, wherein the partition wall can be removed from the interior in a non-destructive manner such that the liquid-tight mutual insulation of the subspaces is abandoned and a connection between the subspaces is established.

Such an article is already known from WO 2013/014345 A1. There, a plate-shaped container is provided, which is covered by a film. With the film, a partition wall can be removed, which protrudes from the film perpendicular to the container and thereby displaced before the removal of the film, a connecting portion between two compartments of the container sealing.

Such containers are known in many ways from the prior art. They are used for a variety of foods, some of which

Heating are provided, in other cases, such containers are widely used, for example, in connection with yogurt cups. In any case, the basic underlying idea is that foods are first presented in a separate dosage form, so that the food can be mixed by the consumer himself. This promises, on the one hand, a greater freshness of the product, because complete penetration of one product part with the other product part has not yet occurred, and on the other hand, the consumer has the opportunity to work according to his own taste on the mixing of the partial products.

A well-known example of such a container are known yogurt cups, which are divided into two subspaces, with a subspace opposite the other is associated with a folding fold movable. By a buckling of a subspace around the crease around its content can be transferred to the other subspace, so that a thorough mixing of the two sub-products in the preferably larger subspace can be made.

Also, a configuration is known from the prior art, in which the second, usually smaller subspace is realized as a set cup, which can be completely removed from the larger cup. As a result, in contrast to the solution mentioned above, the space of the smaller cup is additionally available for the product, so that the problem of a possible

Overfilling of the cup during the merger of the product parts during filling must not be considered.

The problem with the first solution is therefore initially that the second subspace for the product is no longer available at the end and thus sufficient space must be kept free. In the second solution of the prior art, the problem consists in completely emptying the second smaller cup, which can be removed from the larger cup part, so that complete enjoyment of the product contained therein is achieved.

Against this background, the present invention is therefore based on the object to propose a container for storage and preparation of food, in which on the one hand, the available space of the cup can be fully utilized and on the other hand, the complete product is possible without residue.

This object is achieved by a container for storing and preparing food according to the features of claim 1. Further, useful embodiments of such a container can be taken from the subclaims.

According to the invention it is provided that between the two against each other liquid-tight isolated part spaces a partition wall is arranged, which can be removed without destruction from the interior. By removing the dividing wall from the interior, the two partial spaces are to be connected to one another. in which the liquid-tight mutual insulation of the subspaces is abandoned. In other words, a partition wall is pulled out more or less upwards from two adjacent subspaces of a container so that the contents of the two subspaces can flow into one another. As a result, both the container and the entire interior of the container are now available for the product, and the product adhering to the wall of both subspaces can also be fully utilized by mixing the product and thus stripping it from the walls. This results in a much more efficient use of the container contents for the consumer.

Specifically, the container shell and / or the container bottom may be associated with a groove into which the partition or parts thereof are received. As a result, an improved tightness of the connection between the partition and the container bottom or the container casing is ensured, so that a penetration of the partial products is avoided when inserted partition. The consumer can thus by simply pulling out the partition with existing liquid tightness, for example, connect a chamber with pasta on the one hand with a chamber with a sauce on the other hand and mix the two sub-products in the resulting entire interior. The same can be done with other products, such as the components of a cappuccino or a yogurt.

In order to facilitate the introduction of the partition wall into an intended groove, the partition wall may comprise a spring along its outer edges, which is suitable for insertion into the groove of the container casing and / or the container bottom. This results in an additional labyrinth effect in the area of the interlocked edges of the partition and the container, so that a greater tightness can be ensured. The path to be crossed for penetrating this connection is significantly longer.

In addition, on its side facing away from the container bottom, the dividing wall can have a reinforcing element which is intended to prevent bending of the dividing wall. The reinforcing element can either be integrally formed on the dividing wall or be formed, for example, by a folded edge. Ideally, the reinforcing element may be in common with the partition in cross-section either form an L-shape or a T-shape. However, other reinforcing elements, by Anformung or folding, in the partition wall possible and expressly included in the invention. In particular, in view of the fact that the contents of the container may need to be heated before consumption, the container casing and / or the container bottom may have an insulation, which may be formed for example by an insulation core. In that regard, the container shell and / or the container bottom consists of an outer wall and an inner wall, which enclose this insulating core between them. The container is then at least partially hollow and filled with a gas, for example with air, or has in this cavity a heat-insulating solid or liquid core. Because of this isolation, the product to be heated in the container, even at higher temperatures, can not cause burns to the hands of the container-containing consumer and cools less rapidly.

In addition to the widespread possibility of warming up food with the help of microwaves, which are also used in particular in the area of ready-to-eat prepared foods, it is possible to heat the product considerably more gently with steam. In this case there is regularly the problem of enabling a uniform, as complete as possible penetration of the product with steam. In a meaningful development, the invention in this respect provides to associate the partition with a steam tube, which in particular extends from the pointing away from the container bottom edge in the direction of the container bottom. Such a steam tube is accessible at the edge facing away from the container bottom via a steam access and has a vapor outlet in the region of the container bottom. The steam entering the bottom of the product thus passes through the product from bottom to top, after the steam rises due to its natural convection and thermodynamic expansion, or due to an applied vapor pressure.

In order to ensure that penetration of the two partial products can not take place via the steam outlet of the steam tube, the steam tube has, with some advantage, at least one tube dividing wall, which divides the steam tube completely liquid-tightly. Here, the tube partition can be either up to the top Run along the edge of the steam tube, or break off already below the upper edge of the steam tube, to allow insertion of a steam supply into the steam tube. Basically, it is provided that the steam tube is guided to the upper edge of the partition wall.

In detail, it is provided that the steam tube is a cylindrical or polygonal tube which tapers in the region of the container bottom in a suitable shape, for example spherical, conical or truncated cone shape. In the spherical, conical or frusto-conical region, ie in the region of the steam outlet, the steam tube has at least one

Steam outlet on which the introduced through the steam access into the steam tube can optionally penetrate into one of the two subspaces or in both subspaces. In an advantageous development, a connection means can be assigned to the steam access via which the steam supply device can be connected to the container. This may be a vapor-tight connection, in which the steam supply is inserted, but also a screw or the like is more possible in principle. In addition, a relief opening can be predetermined, for example, by pre-perforation, through which the vapor can escape if necessary, if a vapor pressure is applied.

The container may be closed with some advantage in terms of its interior by means of a cover film, which is not understood as part of the container in the context of this invention. The covering film may ideally be connected to the upper edge of the container casing in a liquid-tight and / or gas-tight manner, this also applies, if present, to the reinforcing element running along the dividing wall, which in turn forms a connecting surface with the covering film. The cover film may have a recess in the region of a steam access, as far as possible, so that filling of the vapor is possible even when the cover film is attached. Alternatively, the cover film can be cut separately in the area of the steam access in order to open the steam access. The cover film is connected by gluing, embossing or welding to the container and can be easily and without residue removed from the container after heating. With some advantage, the intended container is substantially frusto-conical and thus designed as a cup. The preferred materials of manufacture are polypropylene, polyethylene including C-PET, glass, aluminum or cardboard. It is also readily possible to use a mixture or combination of these materials for the production of the container.

The invention described above will be explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment.

Show it

1 shows a container with a partition wall in a plan view from above,

2 shows the container of Figure 1 with a gate as in Fi gur 1 indicated, with inserted partition in a perspective view obliquely from above,

FIG. 3 shows the container according to FIG. 2 with its half lifted out

Partition in a perspective view obliquely from above,

Figure 4, the removed partition from Figures 1 to

3 in a separated representation, in perspective obliquely from above,

FIG. 5 shows a detailed representation from FIG. 4, FIG. 6 shows a detailed representation of a section through the edge of FIG

Container according to the present invention in a detail of a cross-sectional view, as well

FIG. 7 shows a detailed representation of a cross section of the dividing wall in the region of the container bottom. FIG. 1 shows a container 1 with a container casing 2 which is tapered and has a container bottom 3. The interior of the container 1 is divided by means of a dividing wall 4 into a first partial space 5 and a second partial space 6. In this respect, a first partial product can be contained in the first subspace 5, which is to be kept separate from a second subproduct recorded in the second subspace 6. For example, the product in the first subspace 5 may be pasta, and the product in the second subspace 6 may be an associated sauce. The dividing wall 4 has a centrally arranged steam tube 13, which is formed cylindrically and through a central tube dividing wall

16 divided in half.

Figure 2 shows the container 1 in a perspective view, in which the

Longitudinal extent of the steam tube 13 can be seen. The steam tube 13 divided by the tube dividing wall 16 extends from an upper edge of the dividing wall 4 into the region of the container bottom 3, where the steam tube 13 opens into a frustoconical steam outlet 15. For heating the product contained in the container 1 can now be connected via a steam inlet 14, which is formed at the end facing away from the container bottom 3 end of the steam tube 13, a steam supply, which injects steam into the steam tube 13. This will be distributed via the steam outlet 15 in the partitions 5 and 6 located on both sides of the steam tube 13, so that the partial products contained therein are heated separately for themselves. The injected from the steam supply into the steam tube 13 steam is in turn also not mix due to the tube partition 16, but the two sub-chambers 5 and 6 are fed separately.

Figure 3 shows a non-destructive removal of the partition wall 4 from the container 1, which can be done by simply lifting the partition 4 from the container 1. The partition 4 is in this case held in a groove 7 in the container casing 2 and container bottom 3 in their position, so that it can be removed by a simple lifting out of the container. At this moment, the two partial products which have been contained in the two subspaces 5 and 6 will find themselves in a common interior of the container 1 and penetrate each other from both sides. Further mixing can be done both with the Partition 4 are made, as this can be removed via a simple stripping on the container edges.

Figure 4 shows the removed partition 4 again in detail. The partition wall 4 is reinforced via a designated intended by the container bottom 3 facing away reinforcing element 9, which is formed of the partition wall 4. As a result, the partition wall 4 has a T-shape in cross-section, so that a bending is prevented, which would lead to slipping out of the edges of the partition 4 from the groove 7 in the container shell 2 and container bottom 3. Furthermore, the reinforcing element 9 forms a surface over which an easily removable, not shown here in detail

Cover film can be connected to the partition wall 4, in order to prevent a transfer of the partial products in the respective other subspace 5 or 6, for example by tilting of the container. The reinforcing element 9 may in this case be formed such that it is guided around the steam tube 13, so that the steam access 14 of the steam tube 13 could also be directly connected to the cover film.

Figure 5 shows a marked in Figure 4 detail of the partition 4, in which on the one hand the T-shaped design is illustrated, on the other hand it is clear that at the edge of the partition 4, a non-tapered spring 8 is formed, which in the groove 7 of

Container 1 can be introduced.

FIG. 6 shows a detail of the cup jacket 2, which is essentially hollow. For this purpose, the container 1 in the region of its walls on an outer wall 10 and an inner wall 1 1, between which an insulating core 12 is enclosed. This insulating core may in particular be filled with air, but also contain another insulating material. This ensures that a transfer of the temperature prevailing inside the container 1 to the outside, ie to the hands of the consumer, is not disclosed. This avoids, on the one hand, a combustion of the consumer and, on the other hand, this keeps the once heated product in the container 1 warm.

Finally, FIG. 7 shows a detail of the steam tube 13, there in particular the

Steam outlet 15. The steam tube 13 is in two halves through the dividing wall 4 and in particular the tube dividing wall 16 extending inside the steam tube 13 divided, in which the steam can be performed separately for the two subspaces 5 and 6. The steam outlet 15 in this case has a plurality of steam outlet openings 17, via which the steam can escape from the steam tube 13 into the respective subspace 5 or 6.

Thus described above is a container for storing and preparing food, which is easier to handle than the known prior art container because overfilling of individual sub-containers is avoided due to the construction, and on the other hand the product as completely as possible to the consumer Is made available. Furthermore, the proposed construction allows the arrangement of a steam tube, which allows a gentle and efficient heating of the product.

REFERENCE LIST container

hältermantel

hälterboden

nnwand

subspace

Part subspace

t

of the

rstärkungselement

ßenwandung

enwandung

lationskern

mpfröhre

mpfzugang

mpfauslass

hear partition

mpfaustrittsöffnungen

Claims

P A T E N T A N S P R E C H E

Container for storage and preparation of food, which encloses an interior and a container shell (2) and a container bottom (3), wherein the interior is divided by at least one partition (4) in at least two mutually liquid-tightly isolated part spaces (5, 6) , in which

the partition (4) is removable from the interior so destructive that the liquid-tight mutual insulation of the compartments (5, 6) abandoned and a connection between the compartments (5, 6) is produced, characterized in that the partition (4) a Steam tube (13) is assigned to feed the interior with steam.

A container according to claim 1, characterized in that the container casing (2) and / or the container bottom (3) is associated with a groove (7) for receiving parts of the partition wall (4).

Container according to claim 2, characterized in that the partition wall (4) has a spring (8) extending around its outer edge for insertion into the groove (7) of the container casing (2) and / or the container bottom (3).

Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dividing wall (4) has a reinforcing element (9) on its edge facing away from the container bottom (3) such that the dividing wall (4) has a T or L shape in cross section having.

Container according to claim 4, characterized in that the reinforcing element is a folded edge or a molded reinforcing element (9).

Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container casing (2) and / or the container bottom (3) have an outer wall (10) and an inner wall (1 1), which between them an insulating core (12) made of a thermally insulating solid or liquid material or a gas.

7. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dividing wall (4) has an accessible from the container bottom away edge via a steam access (14) accessible steam tube (13) which in the region of the container bottom (3) in a Steam outlet (15) opens.

8. A container according to claim 7, characterized in that the steam tube (13) in turn by means of at least one tube partition wall (16) is liquid-tightly divided.

9. A container according to any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the steam tube (13) is formed as a cylindrical or polygonal tube which tapers in the region of the container bottom (3) spherical, conical or truncated.

10. Container according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the steam tube (13) in the region of the container bottom (3) has at least one steam outlet forming the steam outlet opening (17).

1 1. Container according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the steam access (14) is associated with a connection means for vapor-tight connection with a steam supply device.

12. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interior is overlapped on its side facing away from the container bottom (3) away from a cover and liquid-tight and / or gas-tight.

13. A container according to claim 12, characterized in that the cover film in the region of the steam inlet (14) has a recess.

14. Container according to one of the preceding claims, which is shaped substantially frusto-conical.

15. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, which is made of polypropylene, polyethylene, glass, aluminum or cardboard.